tradition

05

The night that Briar had spent with Harry lingered on her mind, casting a soft glow over her thoughts. She couldn't help but smile throughout the week, the memories of their time together playing like a cherished melody in her heart. Briar had always seen the obnoxious side of Harry, the boy who seemed to thrive on chaos and mischief. But that night, she had glimpsed a different side of him, a sincere, considerate side that had taken her by surprise. As she walked into the library with Hermione, she took out her books and set them on the nearest table, her mind still lost in the recollection of Harry's unexpected kindness.

"Hermione... do you know what Harry likes?" Briar asked, her voice tinged with curiosity and a hint of nervousness. Hermione nodded, raising an eyebrow in confusion. "Why do you ask?" Briar sheepishly scratched the back of her neck and sighed, struggling to find the right words to explain her sudden interest. "I just... he was so considerate when he got me a gift last year... and I wanted to do the same," Briar explained, her cheeks flushing slightly. Hermione frowned, folding her arms across her chest as she studied Briar's face.

"Do you like Harry?" Hermione asked, her tone gentle but probing. Briar shrugged her shoulders and opened her textbook, avoiding Hermione's gaze. "He's alright... he's less annoying this year. I'll admit that... " Briar trailed off. Hermione opened her book and looked up at Briar, her expression softening. "You know, he just really likes you. I mean, sure, he doesn't exactly show it very well, but he does," Hermione said, her voice filled with a quiet certainty. Briar nodded her head in agreement, pulling out her parchment paper and preparing to take notes.

"I know," Briar said, surprising Hermione with the calm confidence in her voice. It was the first time that Briar had said anything nice about Harry since last year. Hermione had to admit that Harry wasn't the best at getting his feelings across, often coming across as infuriating and annoying instead. She wouldn't know what she would do if the same thing happened to her. She always wondered how Briar managed to avoid the urge to hex him.

As the girls continued to study, Briar checked her watch and stood up suddenly. "I'm sorry, 'Mione. I promised Luna that I would help her feed the Thestrals," Briar said, quickly stuffing her textbooks into her bag and placing her parchment into a small folder. "Thestrals? What are - " Hermione started to ask, but before she could finish her question, Briar had already run off, leaving Hermione to her thoughts.

Briar ran to her dormitory, her heart pounding with excitement. She changed into a long sage green skirt and a short lace ivory-colored top, quickly slipping on her beloved denim jacket that was a couple of sizes too big for her. The jacket was adorned with several pins from the different places she had visited, each one holding a special memory. There were pins from Italy, Paris, and Egypt, each one a small token of her travels and adventures. Some of the pins weren't just decorative; a few exploded into colorful smoke, much to the amusement of Fred and George, who had gifted them to her. Briar smiled at the memory, recalling the week she had to walk around Hogwarts with bright red hair after one of the pins had gone off unexpectedly. In retaliation, she had hexed all of Fred and George's school robes to be the brightest shade of pink imaginable, their hair matching the vibrant color. She had even swapped their black ink bottles for glittery pink ones, much to their chagrin. It was a miracle that Briar hadn't been caught and wasn't given detention.

Briar smiled at the memory fondly and squealed as she glanced at the time, realizing she was running late. She grabbed her small satchel and ran down to the Forbidden Forest, where Luna and the Thestrals were waiting. "Luna!" Briar giggled as she hugged the Ravenclaw warmly. "Hello, Briar. How are you?" Luna asked, her dreamy eyes sparkling with curiosity. Briar shrugged her shoulders and smiled softly.

"Alright, and you?" Briar asked, placing a hand on the Thestral's head. She grabbed a small bag from her satchel and handed one to Luna. "Here, Hagrid gave me enough to last the entire school year," Briar said. Luna grinned, her eyes lighting up with delight as she accepted the bag. Briar raised an eyebrow, noticing that Luna wasn't wearing any shoes.

"No shoes today? Is it the Nargles?" Briar asked, her tone light and teasing. Luna nodded her head, her bare feet sinking into the soft earth. Briar took off her brown sandals and grinned as she felt the familiar feeling of dirt and leaves underneath her feet. "Potter?" Briar turned around when she heard a loud crunch of leaves behind her. Harry walked toward the girls, a grin spreading across his face as he spotted Briar. He looked at Luna, who was gently petting one of the bony creatures. "Your feet... aren't they cold?" Harry asked, his brow furrowing in concern. Luna shook her head and shrugged.

"A bit. Unfortunately, all of my shoes have mysteriously disappeared," Luna explained, her voice calm and untroubled. Briar removed her hand from the Thestral's head and looked at Harry, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "We suspect it's the Nargles," Briar said, noticing Harry's curious stare at the creatures. "What are they?" he asked, his voice filled with wonder.

"They're called Thestrals. They're quite gentle, but people avoid them because they're a bit... " Luna trailed off as a baby Thestral cried out softly. "Different," Harry said, completing her sentence. Luna nodded, her eyes filled with understanding. The three of them walked closer to the wondrous creatures, and Briar tossed small bits of food at them, watching as they eagerly accepted the offering. "Why can't the others see them?" Harry asked, his voice tinged with curiosity.

"They can only be seen by people who've seen death," Luna explained, her voice soft and reverent. Harry looked at Briar and Luna in shock, the weight of their words sinking in. "So... you've known someone who's died?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. Luna nodded her head and sighed, her eyes filled with a distant sadness. "My mum," she said softly, her voice trembling slightly. Briar caught up with the two, her heart heavy with empathy as Harry looked at her in confusion.

"Oh, uh, my grandmum... " Briar said, her voice faltering slightly. Harry looked at them sadly, his eyes filled with understanding and sorrow. "It's very sad sometimes, but I've got Dad and Briar," Luna said, her voice filled with quiet strength. Briar placed an arm around the girl, offering her silent support. Harry nodded understandingly, his eyes filled with a new respect for the two girls.

"We believe you, Harry. That He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is back and you fought him. We also believe that the Ministry and the Prophet are conspiring against you and Dumbledore," Luna said, her voice firm and unwavering. Harry smiled softly, his heart swelling with gratitude for their unwavering support.

"I suppose you're the only ones who think so," Harry said, his voice filled with a mixture of relief and sadness. Briar shook her head, handing Harry the bag filled with small bits of food. Harry tossed a handful at the Thestrals, his mind racing with thoughts. "That's not entirely true. But I suppose that's how he wants you to feel," Briar said softly, her eyes filled with understanding.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked, his voice filled with curiosity and a hint of hope.

"Well, if I were Voldemort, I'd want you to feel cut off from everyone else. If it's just you alone, then you're not as much of a threat," Briar said, her voice filled with quiet conviction. Luna smiled as Harry looked at Briar in awe, a new understanding dawning in his eyes.

Perhaps the Gryffindor girl and boy wouldn't be at such odds this year. Perhaps they would finally see eye-to-eye, their shared experiences and mutual understanding bridging the gap between them.